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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

saucy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (Australia) audio
  • /ˈsɔ.se/ (Scotland)
  • /-si/ (Scotland)
  • /ˈsoːsɪj/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • /ˈsɔ.si/ without the cot–caught merger
  • /ˈsoːsi/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
  • (US) audio non-cot-caught
  • /ˈsɔːsi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈsɑ.si/ (cot-caught-merger)
  • /-sɪ/ (Scotland)

Etymology

From sauce + -y.

Meanings

  1. Similar to sauce; having the consistency or texture of sauce.
    • Bring the tomatoes to a boil and then simmer until they reach a saucy consistency.
  2. (figuratively) Impertinent or disrespectful, often in a manner that is regarded as entertaining or amusing; smart.
    • If this be knowne to you, and your Allowance, / We then haue done you bold, and ſaucie wrongs. c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 311, column 1, line 143:
    • And books!—Thomson, Cowper, Scott;—she would buy them all over and over again; she would buy up every copy I believe, to prevent their falling into unworthy hands; and she would have every book that tells her how to admire an old twisted tree. Should not you, Marianne? Forgive me, if I am very saucy. But I was willing to shew you that I had not forgot our old disputes. 1811, [Jane Austen], chapter XVII, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume I, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 216:
    • She is a loud, saucy child who doesn't show a lot of respect to her elders.
  3. Impudently bold; pert.
    • Her mouth was large, and she had a saucy, pronounced chin. 1923, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “Chapter 8”, in Emily of New Moon:
  4. Sharp; pungent; piquant.
  5. Mildly erotic.
    • I enjoyed the dancing, but my husband found it a little too saucy.
    • Saucy epaulet shoulder and full sleeves that fit into neat button trimmed cuffs. 1933, Stella Blum, Everyday Fashion of the Thirties as pictured in Sears Catalogs, published 1986, page 46:
    • An episode of ITV1's The X Factor which featured a Britney Spears impersonator performing a "saucy" routine in a body stocking did not breach the broadcasting code, media regulator Ofcom has ruled. 2012 December 17, John Plunkett, “The X Factor did not breach code with 'saucy' dance routine, Ofcom rules”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
saucier Degree=Cmp lexicographic
saucey alternative lexicographic
sauciest Degree=Sup lexicographic
sawcy alternative, obsolete lexicographic
sauce-y alternative lexicographic

Deriveds

sauciness · sassy · saucily · oversaucy

Relateds

tomato-saucy · applesaucey · sassy

Synonyms

petulant · saucy · flippant · brassy · bold as brass · flip · brazen · chutzpadik · cute · cheeky · impudent · dicacious · bold-faced · fresh · malapert · impious · get wise · sassy · facey · audacious · forward · pert · insolent · familiar · impertinent · irreverent · brazen-faced · cocket · bold

Translations (54)

fr osé (mildly erotic) · uk пікантний (mildly erotic) · es provocativo (mildly erotic) · fi vetelä (similar to sauce) · ru непристо́йный (mildly erotic) · mi nēnene (impudently bold) · pdt frajch (impertinent or disrespectful) · nl sausachtig (similar to sauce) · de frech (impudently bold) · es pícaro (impertinent or disrespectful) · es insinuante (mildly erotic) · sv fräck (impudently bold) · ru на́глый (impertinent or disrespectful) · fi räväkkä (impudently bold) · no frekk (impudently bold) · fi topakka (impertinent or disrespectful) · de frech (impertinent or disrespectful) · cs oprsklý (impertinent or disrespectful) · bg дързък (impudently bold) · no frekk (impertinent or disrespectful) · ru де́рзкий (impertinent or disrespectful) · fi kastikemainen (similar to sauce) · cs omáčkový (similar to sauce) · bg нахален (impertinent or disrespectful) · fr effronté (impertinent or disrespectful) · fi tomera (impertinent or disrespectful) · de schamlos (impudently bold) · fi sähäkkä (mildly erotic) · fr impertinent (impertinent or disrespectful) · bg дързък (impertinent or disrespectful) · sh drzak (impertinent or disrespectful) · ga brusanta (impertinent or disrespectful) · ru де́рзкий (impudently bold) · es picante (mildly erotic) · de kess (impertinent or disrespectful) · hu pikáns (mildly erotic) · es subido de tono (mildly erotic) · de gewagt (mildly erotic) · it impertinente (impertinent or disrespectful) · pdt frajch (impudently bold) · nl pikant (mildly erotic) · de keck (impertinent or disrespectful) · mi nēnene (impertinent or disrespectful) · es arriesgado (mildly erotic) · es travieso (impertinent or disrespectful) · cs šťavnatý (mildly erotic) · cs oprsklý (impudently bold) · de soßenartig (similar to sauce) · ru наха́льный (impertinent or disrespectful) · nl brutaal (impudently bold) · no dristig (mildly erotic) · ru неприли́чный (mildly erotic) · es atrevido (mildly erotic) · nl brutaal (impertinent or disrespectful)